Debriefing F.J. DeSanto on Cyborg 009

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Debriefing F.J. DeSanto on Cyborg 009

Writer F.J. DeSanto recently came off of the heels of the very impressive CYBORG 009 reboot from Archaia. The book fell slightly under the radar upon it’s initial launch, so we are going to shine a light on it with an interview with the scribe. The book was released as an in a gorgeous hardcover similar to some of the other Archaia titles. It featured some brilliant artwork by rising star Marcus To. The hardcover is available in local shops and conventions wherever the greatest comic books are sold. Without further ado, here is our interview with writer DeSanto himself.

CBN: The back of the book is a great love letter to series creator Shotaro Ishinomori, was it difficult to update the tale while staying true to the source material?

F.J.D.: Not as much as one would probably think simply because the source material is so strong and is just as relevant as it was when Ishinomori created it. It was really more about how to present these great characters and themes properly to a modern audience. It didn’t require any re-invention to be honest though we added a few new elements to raise the personal stakes.

CBN: Many American fans of the material fondly remember the 2001 incarnation. Was what your first exposure to the property?

F.J.D.: Mine was through finding the original manga in the Japanese bookstore in New York when i was a kid. I had no idea what they were saying, but the visuals were so strong that it was very exciting to follow along. Ishinomori had such a strong sense of storytelling. I had pen pals in Japan who would fill in the blanks for me. it was a lot of fun figuring it all out as a kid.

CBN: What has it been like to work with Archaia?

F.J.D.: It’s been a wonderful and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Their attention to detail and quality goes above and beyond anything I would have expected and I already had very high expectations which is why I brought them the project in the first place.

CBN: Did they bring along Marcus To to the project, or did you have him in mind?

F.J.D.: Stephen Christy, our editor, brought Marcus and our colorist Ian Herring on to the project. I believe they were recommended to Stephen by Ramon Perez, who won a ton of awards for Archaia’s TALE OF SAND and is part of the same studio with Marcus and Ian in Toronto.

CBN: The graphic novel has a great self contained aspect, but still seems open to another entry to the series. Is there any more material planned?

F.J.D.: Obviously we would love to dive further into the CYBORG 009 universe, but like anything, it will depend on how well this first volume sells. We have plenty of ideas on where to go with the characters.

CBN: How has your experience working with film translated into writing comic books?

F.J.D.: I think it’s helped me figure out how to properly present a three act story. It’s all about telling good character based stories with strong characters. Obviously, comic book writing is a much more detailed and intimate form of writing, but they are both very exciting mediums to work in.

CBN: Did Jon adams design all the aspects of the book? This is one of the better looking hardcovers to come out of Archaia in a while.

F.J.D.: Jon worked directly with Stephen to make this book the visual beauty you see today. They worked their asses off to push the envelope and they succeeded. I could never have imagined how gorgeous the book would have turned out.

CBN: Was adapting the characters with new and old backstory difficult?

F.J.D.: Not particularly as the original characters are so distinctive and we had so much material to draw from. It was just really about how to present them in 2013 in a way that felt new and fresh. It’s one of those “If it aint broke, don’t fix it” situations. It was just really about taking the best elements of the characters and running with it. We didn’t need to take liberties with the characters.

CBN: Were the licensing issues difficult to untangle regarding the property?

F.J.D.:were never an issue. Of course they had opinions which we implemented, but it was always done in the spirit of collaboration. Everyone involved with this book was on the same page.

F.J.D.: I beg him often and hope he reads this and eventually succumbs.

CBN: How long was the book been in production before release, it seems like a real passion project from both you and To?

F.J.D.: I would say it’s been almost 2 years from negotiating the deal to releasing the book to stores and I think it would fair to say that it was a passion project for not just Marcus and I, but the entire team. Everyone involved pulled out all the stops to make this book something very special.

Pick up INSURGENT from Comixology and seek out CYBORG 009 at your local comic shop!